San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-03-24
POISONED BY LOCO WEED.


A Romantic Story OF the sEnglishman,
the Senorita and the Kansas
Belle.
The baneful effect OF the loco weed
upon the human race has been many
times illustrated In the columns OF the
LIGHT, but a very strange incident OF
loco poisoning has recently occurred,
that Is romantic and peculiar, yet IL ex-
emplihes the axiom that truth Is
stranger than felton," An English gen.
tleman, well known In the city, engaged
az superintendent OF Mexican surveys,
came here from England about six years
ago and has visited the city at Intervals.
When he came here he was engaged to
an English lady living In the north OF
England, but who subsequently re-
moved with her brother and cousin to
Southern Kansas. In the fall Of 1886 he
went to Kansas and spent a week with
his inamorata, who resides near Corbett,
and then proceeded to Chicago on busi-
ness for the survey, intending to return
TO Kansas In month and there to wed
his inamorata and proceed to
England. Business matters OF an urg-
ent nature recalled him to San Antonio,
an 4 as soon as he was able TO get away
he left San Antonio for ST. Louis, where
his intended bride was TO meet him, and
they were TO be wed and return 10 the
brides home In Kansas for temporary
stay. The Englishman left San Antonio
and arrived 10 Kansas City safely, but
after that all trace Of him was lost. A
compatriot here, and his brother, then
travelling in the United States. made en-
auirIes as to the missing man. His bag
gage, unclaimed at Kansas City, was
found, but no trace whatever OF the
missing Englishman could be obtained
until recently, when he has been found
10 the City of Mexico, and the facts at
tendant upon his mysterious dis
appearance have been developed.
lt seems that the. Englishmsn
formed the acquaintance OF q
wealthy ranchero, who frequently WIS.,
tied the city, and who had pretty
daughter, aged seventeen, who was
enamnred OF the vivaciOus and intelli-
gent Englishman. She decided that for
her owr happiness she must wed the
man of her choice, but his affection for
his old English love was an insurmOunt-
able barrier. She wOve all the meshes
that beautiful women can make TO cap
tivate man, but after all, he respected
her as a friend, but could not be her
lover. " Htu ITO ucCiucu W ~ W WOu
his beloved the fair Mexican and her
father accompanied him to Kansas City
and all stayed at the same hotel. There
can be no question that at this point the
fair Mexican administered TO the
Englishman the baneful juice Of
the loco weed or caused 1t to be
administered. Anyway the Englishman
did not 90 to his wedding, but was car
ried back as an imbecile to the City Of
Mexico. There he was placed In charge
of a friendly Mexican who cared fO- him
at the expense Of the infatuated seDor-
tia. Providence has been kind to the I'M
fortunate man. Either the decoctiOD adj
ministered was too weak or the mental
calibre of the Englishman was too
strong for after years confinement he
has become sane, although his health is
shaken, and his mentality is somewhat
wrecked by the effect of the powerful
drug All has come back to him like a
dream and it seems as If he had but been
asleep for night and had
awakened in the morning. He has
written friends who have been mourn
ing him as dead, and there Is a pros
poet that in the near future he will yet
be married to his Kansas love. The doc
tors who have examined him believe
that his brain and system have been
shattered by loco weed, but that with
quietude, rest and cautious treatment
the effects of the poisonous weed will be
eradicated. The Englishman is in the
city visiting his cOmpatriOt and his ap-
pearance an facts fully bear out this re.
markable story.